The final results of Honolulu’s Nov. 5 general election involving the passage of four city charter amendments have been officially certified.

On Friday, City Clerk Glen Takahashi confirmed in writing that the election process had concluded, and the amendments were “duly approved by a majority of the votes cast on the questions.”

The ballot questions included one involving a climate change fund for the city, while another sought the reorganization of the city’s Department of Emergency Management.

Voters were also asked whether a commission should oversee the city’s newly formed Department of Ocean Safety and whether the City Council should vote on its future pay increases.

As far as voter approval of the latest charter amendments for Oahu, city Election Administrator Rex Quidilla previously told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, “they are ratified when the ‘yes’ votes outnumber the ‘no’ votes.”

“Blanks and over-votes are not included in that part of the calculations,” he added.

For charter amendment 1, Oahu voters favored the amendment — with 177,868 votes in favor, or 57.59% of the vote — to approve the creation of a climate resiliency fund, which would finance preventive, restorative and educational measures relating to climate change.

There were 130,969 votes, or 42.41%, opposed to this amendment.

The climate fund will be supported by 0.5% of the city’s estimated annual real property tax revenues. Previously, the city had no climate resiliency fund.

For charter amendment 2, voters supported the reorganizing of the emergency department — with 232,152 votes in favor, or 76.32%, versus 72,038 against, or 23.68% — to be like other city departments, and that the Citizens Advisory Commission would fall within that agency.

Voters at the ballot box stated they wanted an oversight commission connected to the Ocean Safety Department.

In the final tally, they cast 201,000 votes in favor, or 65.55%, while there were 105,626 votes against, or 34.45%.

Under this amendment a five-member panel withinocean safety will have the authority to make recommendations on its annual budget; review its operations and recommend improvements; and appoint or remove a new ocean safety chief, among other powers.

The last charter amendment — to see that any future Council pay raises would be capped at 5% annually, and require that future pay hikes be equivalent to the average of the most recent annual salary changes of the city’s various collective bargaining units — garnered a total of 284,531 votes, or 90.33%, in favor of the change.

Those in opposition cast 30,469 votes, or 9.67% of the vote, results state.

The vote also meant an amended charter would remove the Council’s authority to vote on its own raises.

Currently, the city Salary Commission establishes the salaries for municipal positions, including those of the Council.

In times past, the Council could either accept or reject any portion of the commission’s resolution, including any part relating to the Council members’ own salaries.

As adopted by voters, the charter will be amended to require the Salary Commission to issue one resolution establishing the salaries for Council members and a separate resolution establishing the salaries for other city employee positions.

In 2023 the city’s top elective panel received a controversial 64% salary increase — with all but three of the Council members accepting a $44,400 pay boost, to $113,304, up from $68,904.